Survivors
by Lipush
Summary: 'They were so close to losing their team tonight; And once again, Kate has to deal with the possibility of mortality. Life is fragile. Unsure. So breakable.'- Tag to 6x11


**A/N-** **Just a small tag to 6x11. Please R&R**

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><p><span><strong>Survivors<strong>

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><p>An ambiance of tranquility envelops them both as they walk into the house, both exhausted worn out.<p>

Castle tosses the keys in the table, and removes his dark jacket slowly.

Both of them reek of smoke and sorrow, but once again, their team survived to see the next day.

Blinking, Rick turns to look at his fiancé, and in a second, she's in his arms.

They were so close to lose everything tonight. Their team was their home, the sense of familiarity, security.

Hearing Jenny's cracked voice as she desperately tried to keep Ryan on the line, while still coping with the pain of childbirth, it took everything she had to not burst out crying right there and then.

And Oh, God. If it was Castle in the same situation, she doesn't know what she would have done.

Still in the safety of his embrace, breathing him in, she takes a deep breath, forcing the disturbing image out of her mind.

They were so close to losing their team tonight; And once again, Kate has to deal with the possibility of mortality. Life is fragile. Unsure. So breakable.

Leaving the safety of his arms, she grasps his collar tightly, and he whispers lovingly, "C'mon, let's go take a shower, we both stink."

Her green eyes stare into his, and she murmurs, "Let me take care of you, tonight."

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><p>They both step out of their clothes, as the calming sound or hot running water fills the bathroom. As they both stand in their birthsuit in-front of each other, Castle can't help but lean in, claiming her soft lips with his, drowning into a deep sweet kiss.<p>

Their lips dance and tongues make love to each other for a second or so, she wraps her arms around his body in a passionate embrace of comfort and reassurance.

Stepping into the shower, Kate feels the momentarily Goosebumps at the first touch of steaming waters on her skin, and exhales; Castle smiles at her and she smiles back.

The tiny delicate drops of water stick to their eye-lashes, slide down their faces and chins, but their eyes are still fixed on one another.

Her fingertips travel across his skin momentarily, as she grasps the soft sponge and starts scratching him clean, hoping against hope that along with the dust-stains and smell of smoke, she'll be able to remove the painful dread of this day from his body, and her own, too.

Letting her have this moment, he reaches for the bottle of strawberry shampoo right on his left, the liquid first on his hands, and then in her hair, as Castle washes it clean, in an attempt to erase any reminder of smoke and dirt from her long curls.

They stand like that for what seems like a lifetime, not in a hurry to leave the shower, or one another. It takes for the water to run cold when they realize that as much as it's comforting, they cannot possibly stay there forever.

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><p>Bathed, cleaned, and tiredly comfortable, they cuddle under the soft covers, Kate's warm body immediately entwines with his.<p>

Her left ear on his chest, head tucked under his chin, Castle's amazed as always at how perfectly she fits. Once arm wrapped around his torso, she slowly breathes out, as his fingers play with her hair slowly, "We almost lost them tonight, Castle," wrinkles of concentration and dread appear in her forehead, as she snuggles closer, wordlessly asking his touch and presence.

He's more than happy to oblige, "But we didn't," he whispers, planting a kiss to her head, "They're all okay, and we also have a new addition to the family," he smiles as he recalls the touching picture of the proud parents holding their tiny baby girl. Sarah Grace is surely a beautiful infant, and lucky one, as well, to have both her parents to raise her, now.

"Those cases," she frowns, "remind us all the time that nothing should be taken for granted," her index finger travel along his chest in somewhat distraction, "No-one's future is guaranteed, one moment you're the match…then before you know it," she considers, "you're the fire…"

"Mhmm," he mutters, and God knows how they've learned that the future is never guaranteed. Gun-shots, sinking cars, freezers, bombs, starved tigers… They've been through all.

Nothing is to be taken for granted.

But this time it wasn't them facing the danger, rather their partners, while all they could do was helplessly watch from aside. Having their fingers crossed that it'll all turn out for the better in the end.

That makes Castle's perspective change in a whole different way. Being the outside watcher seems far the worse option, from here. In all the cases which cause death-facing risks, they always struggled to the end. But standing there? Eyes staring into the burning flames without having the ability to do anything? The frustration and fear they both felt was a whole new experience for them.

He now learns to appreciate Ryan and Esposito much more, knowing that in many past cases, they were the outside watchers, without being able to do much to help.

Gazing down at Kate, her beautiful greens are at him, "What'chu thinking about?" she asks, her finger leaves his chest to softly touch the bridge of his nose.

He smiles and slightly shrugs, "At how much you're right," he answers, "Nothing is obvious, I guess; But we're a family. You, me. This team. And we're strong, and we survive. We've done it for four years, now."

Her head goes back to feel his heartbeat underneath her ear, as she tries to forget the anguish of this day, "True…" she whispers, and then her smile broadens, "She's a real beauty, right?"

Chuckling softly, Castle embraces her tighter, already feeling her slowly drifting off, "Yeah," he smiles, "She is…"

"And…she'ssss luckyyy…" mumbles Kate, as sleep wins over her, "beinggg a giiirl…" as Castle blinks, her last words before she surrenders to sleep always make him burst out laughing, "I meeaan….Javiiierr?..."

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><p><strong>AN- It was an AWESOME EPISODE!**


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